Ok folks, here’s the deal. The first known form of life appeared 4000 million years ago. Since then, this process has been repeated in every form of life, in varying degrees of sophistication, depending on the type of the body, the strength of the nervous system, the forms and shapes of objects in the world and the lifespan of the creature.
We are just the latest form of species to try our luck. We have gone through millions of years of evolution on earth and are still stuck with such a fundamental problem. But have heart! Others have cracked this before. They have mastered the whole process, left clues for us through commandments, sutras, mythology, techniques and koans. It’s not a show-stopper. Gather your heart and your wits and continue the journey with me
The real fun begins when we decide to do something to fix the problem
Every step along the way, our eyeballs pop with one insight after another
And it’s ok to have fun and lot of laughs, as we make clumsy attempts, pick ourselves up and try again
A small request; as and when you find the truth, don’t hit me on the head
Ok. Here we go. Let’s take a fresh look at what we are up against
The reason I numbered them is because it is easier to keep a map as we navigate. As we attempt new methods, enquiries and techniques, this is a map we can keep coming back to see, which specific ‘chamber’ we are in. First, let’s define our objectives in each numbered ‘chamber’. I made up this list of chamber goals, but feel free to make up your own goals for each chamber and post it for others to see.
- Discover the real nature of the objects around us
- Figure out the best way to enjoy sensory perceptions
- Learn how to use the sense organs wisely
- Learn how to prepare the body to experience the world fully
- Master the bridge that connects the body with mind
- Drop the ‘maps’ we carry in our mind, so we can experience the real world instead
- Dissolve the craving for all the ‘maps’ we carry in the mind
- Meet the mysterious ‘I ‘who is seeking all this experience for itself
This looks like a lot, but don’t forget – they are all connected in the process. As you make changes in any one chamber, you will find dramatic changes in your experience of the world. I will prove it to you shortly.
There are powerful techniques for each, both ancient and modern. I do not have a specific favorite, nor am I affiliated to any commercial organization that promotes these techniques. As a thumb rule, I will only share what I know or what has worked for me or what I have seen work for others. If it works for you, good; you can use it straight off the site. If it doesn’t work for you, good; you will discover a new way.
And yeah! What about this map? It’s already in your mind now. So, be careful. It is only useful to carry in your mind for this specific journey.
After the journey, we will need to drop this map as well.
Yup. You won’t need it after that. You will have mastered the way of the Urban Monk and can live life to the fullest
The Urban Monk diaries 
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